Dreams of Tomorrow
by pearblossoms
Summary: Mike's always had big dreams but they've never really been realized until today.


"MIKE! WHERE DID YOU PUT THE PAMPERS PULL UPS?"

Mike's in the kitchen pan searing chicken with one hand and pulling dishes out of the dishwasher with the other hand and Tina's voice calling out from the far room barely even registers in his brain. He's never been the best at multi-tasking but if anything the past year or so has taught him, it's how to balance chaos. He racks his brain trying to remember where he last stashed the pull up diapers but the only thing that's crossing his mind at the moment is how the chicken isn't the perfect golden brown he wants it to be.

"I THINK IT'S IN THE BOTTOM DRAWER!" Mike shouts back, flipping the chicken in its pan before turning off the stove and grinning triumphantly at the sear on the opposite side.

"THEY'RE NOT THERE! I ALREADY LOOKED!"

"TRY THE CABINET UNDER THE BATHROOM SINK!"

All the shouting across the apartment had initially given Mike daily headaches but he's gotten pretty used to it at this point. Sometimes, however, he could really kill for some peace and quiet. But that probably wasn't going to happen any time soon.

"THEY'RE NOT THERE EITHER! I- OH WAIT, YES THEY ARE NEVER MIND!"

"DINNER IN FIVE!" Mike sets the chicken platter on the small kitchen table and flips open the rice cooker, releasing the steam that builds up beneath the cover. He begins scooping out portions of rice into two bowls and a tiny kid's size bowl, frowning at the slightly dry consistency of the rice but slowly coming to terms with the fact that a haphazardly prepared meal could only turn out so well.

"Nice apron," Tina teases as she enters the kitchen, their tiny daughter clutching onto her hand as she waddles after her. Tina's other hand is cradling her ballooning stomach, a habit she's gotten used to since the first time she was pregnant.

"Very funny," he shoots back with a smile. She had bought the apron for the two of them to share about a week ago but it's smothered with flowers and a very feminine shade of pink. Mike's totally secure with his manhood but it doesn't help that Tina likes to poke fun whenever he wears it. It also doesn't help much that she doesn't even wear it now due to the fact that it doesn't fit over her belly at the moment.

"No seriously," she giggles, "It's very hot."

Mike laughs and strikes a dramatic pose before hooking an arm around her waist and kissing her swiftly on the cheek, then bending down to do the same for Allie.

"How's my favorite daughter tonight?" Mike grins, tweaking Allie's chin playfully and delighting at the shy giggle she emits.

Sometimes it's hard for Mike to come to grips with the fact that he's fallen completely in love with someone other than Tina. Never before had he imagined that he would ever have another girl in his life as important as Tina or even his own mother, but from the very moment that Allison Chang was born, he knew that he would have to make room for another special girl in his heart. She's everything he could ever want in a daughter and more- everything from her delicate features reminiscent of her beautiful mother to her sing-songy voice that he and Tina have both agreed is destined for years of musical performances to come. He knows he's a total sap sometimes about it but to be frank, he simply can't get enough of her.

"Apparently it's show-and-tell tomorrow at her day care. Tell Daddy what you wanna bring, Allie," Tina prompts as she helps Allie into her booster chair, a clearly amused smile playing across his wife's lips.

Allie picks up the spoon set out in front of her with a chubby hand and points straight ahead with her other and Mike's momentarily confused by what exactly she's pointing to.

"You want to bring... my jacket in for show-and-tell?" Mike attempts to follow the line of path that her finger is making.

"No," Allie giggles as if the answer is obvious, "You."

"I- what- _me_?" Mike splutters, unable to contain the smile that's rapidly breaking out over his face, "Allie sweetheart, you want to bring _me_ in for show-and-tell?"

"She specifically requested it," Tina beams, "Wanted you to 'dance for Miss Reilly and her friends'. I asked if she wanted to bring in her favorite stuffed animal instead, but she promptly shot me down."

Mike's torn between a strong desire to laugh and smother his daughter with kisses over the flattery he's feeling right about now. He chooses instead to pick out some chicken and broccoli with his chopsticks and transfer them to Allie's bowl, smiling uncontrollably, "Of course I'll come in for your show-and-tell tomorrow, Allie. I'll tell the rest of the crew that I'll be late to rehearsal."

"Yay!" Allie squeals, clapping her hands together before scooping up a piece of chicken with her spoon.

"Someone's clearly proud of you," Tina smiles fondly, sharing a warm glance with Mike.

"Clearly," he echoes, watching as Allie spoons rice into her mouth.

Mike tilts back in his chair a little, "How was work today? Thanks for picking Allie up by the way, I'm sorry our rehearsal ran so late."

"Not a problem," Tina shrugs, "And work was exhausting. I ducked out for an audition during my lunch break and barely made it back in time for our general meeting this afternoon. Turns out I _can't_ book it down five blocks in less than three minutes."

"Boss giving you a hard time still?" Mike frowns. Tina's boss is, from what he's come to understand, a total workaholic and expects the same from all his employees. Tina's works for merchandising at Nordstrom and has to work crazy hours sometimes but her love for fashion usually trumps any work problems she might have and how she manages to squeeze in theater auditions on top of that is totally beyond him. Sometimes he can't stop admiring the woman he married.

"Not too bad," she admits, "But I wish he wouldn't hound on us about deadlines all the time. I'm perfectly aware of when things are due."

"Mmm he clearly doesn't know how on top of things Tina Cohen-Chang always is," Mike points his chopsticks knowingly toward Tina, "Otherwise he wouldn't even _dream_of reminding you."

She smiles appreciatively, "Oh! By the way, guess who I ran into today?"

"Who?" Mike asks absentmindedly as he reaches over to wipe away the smear of sauce at the corner of Allie's mouth.

"Rachel and Noah. Outside Tribeca. I think Rachel was there for rehearsal or something and Noah was picking her up."

"Oh?"

Although the four of them all live in Manhattan, they rarely run into each other unless pre-planned and with how busy they all are, they don't often get the chance to meet up.

"They asked how our jobs are, how Allie is, and when Noah saw my stomach, he lost no time in commenting on how we are, and I quote, 'clearly always at it like rabbits, seeing as how we barely waited a year for baby number two'."

Mike snorts, "Sounds like him. And no more PG-13 rated talk around A-L-L-I-E."

Tina mimes zipping up her lips and tossing a key with a twinkle in her eye and her knowing expression makes him want to burst out in laughter. Mostly because Noah Puckerman isn't too far from the truth. It wasn't _his _fault that Tina's sex drive had somehow revved into overdrive only a few short months after giving birth to Allie and they hadn't exactly _planned_ on having a second child only two years after their firstborn but when it happened, neither of them could contain their excitement.

"That spells Allie."

The matter-of-fact tone in Allie's voice stuns both of them into total abrupt silence as both of their heads jerk toward the direction of their child.

"_Yes_, it does, sweetie! How- how did you know that?" Tina stammers, her cheeks flushing with pride.

"I asked Miss Reilly and she telled me," Allie blinks as though unable to understand the magnitude of the situation.

Mike and Tina share a long, jubilant stare before Mike finally declares with a huge, ear-to-ear grin, "Our daughter's a genius."

* * *

><p>Tina's slipping into her maternity nightgown in the bathroom while Mike's scooting his way under the covers when his cell phone suddenly rings. He snatches it as fast as he can in hopes that the blaring ringtone doesn't wake Allie, who they just tucked into bed in the nursery room.<p>

"Hello?"

"OH MY GOD MIKE YOU WON'T BELIEVE WHAT JUST HAPPENED!"

The voice on the other end belongs to Vanessa Hamilton, the head of their dance troupe, and he swears he's never heard her voice at such a high register before.

"I- I don't know- did you get a new megaphone?"

"Haha very funny but you won't be laughing for long when I break the news to you!"

"_What _news?"

"Albert Munn, the departmental chair of Dance Education at Steinhardt and hot shot alumni from Tisch watched our performance last weekend and wants to set us up for a huge performance and _guess what venue he wants to rent out for us._"

Mike's heart stops, "Vanessa if you know me the way I think you know me and you're just totally messing with me I will have to kick your ass at our next rehearsal."

"_MIKE!_ CARNEGIE. HALL. ALBERT MUNN IS RENTING OUT CARNEGIE HALL FOR ."

He feels like his entire world is unraveling before him and all he wants to do is climb up to the top of the Empire State Building and shout the news out to anyone who would be willing to listen.

Tina reappears into the room, her eyes wide with curiosity as she cocks her head in question. Mike holds up one finger before returning to the call.

"_Vanessa_. Email me the details and I'll get to you about it tomorrow."

"Gonna go tell your wife?" Vanessa asks knowingly.

"Hell yes."

And with that, Mike hangs up hurriedly and tosses his phone onto the nightstand before jumping on his knees atop of the bed and beaming, feeling much like a little kid as he bounces on the springy mattress.

"What is it? What happened?" Tina catches onto his irrepressible glee in no time at all.

"_Tina_. Our dance group was scouted by this rich Tisch alumni and he wants to rent out _Carnegie_ _Hall_ for us to perform in!"

The way Tina's jaw drops instantly makes him feel like she's even more thrilled than he is.

"Ohmigosh! _Mike!_ That's _incredible__!_ I- _wow_! That's _amazing_ news!" Tina kneels on the bed in front of him, her smile probably even wider than his own, "_Mike! _This is like your biggest dream come to life! Remember in high school when Mr. Schue asked us what our biggest hopes were? What we were looking forward to the most for our future? _Do you realize that you just achieved it? _This is _huge__!_"

His initial excitement over the news had prevented him from even realizing that he had somehow managed to fulfill his single biggest dream besides marrying Tina, the woman of his dreams. And now that he's finally managed to process this information, he feels like his life is floating high up in the sky where only good things could ever possibly happen.

"I'm so proud of you," Tina flings her arms around his neck for an embrace, and he feels the bump of her stomach pressed against his torso, separating their bodies a little yet bringing them even closer together. They rock back and forth slightly in each other's arms before he pulls back a little to smile like a total fool at her.

"Thanks T," he says softly, "I can't believe this! I-"

He stops mid-sentence in complete and utter shock as he stares down at Tina's belly in wonder over what had just happened.

"Did- did you feel that?" Mike falters, barely capable of stringing his words together.

Tina's hands fly to her stomach and her eyes widen instantly, "Oh my god! It kicked! The baby kicked for the first time!"

Mike can feel the emotions bubbling to the surface as he takes his wife back into his arms before bending down a little to kiss the top of her belly, pressing his hands to feel for the sign of life within her.

"You're going to dance at Carnegie Hall," she says quietly, her voice brimming with what could only be pride.

Carnegie Hall. He still can't even fathom the insanity of what has rapidly become reality, can't even work it out in his mind how he had gotten so lucky. How many hours had spent during his teenage years watching videos of performances at Carnegie and envisioning himself up on that stage, doing what he loves most? How many times had he told himself during long, grueling rehearsals that one day, it will all explode with success and pay off in ways he could only imagine? And here it is today, a prize to rival all other prizes in the world _combined_. "And we're having another baby," Mike adds, his hands still cradling her stomach, unable to pry them away.

"And we're having another baby," Tina repeats, her gorgeous eyes sparkling.

"I must be the luckiest guy on the planet," Mike breathes, unable to tear himself away from the truth of his own words.


End file.
